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About Jordan RE, Adab P, Cheng KK.

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So far Jordan RE, Adab P, Cheng KK. has created 991 blog entries.

Covid-19: risk factors for severe disease and death.

As the covid-19 pandemic accelerates, governments are warning people at high risk to be particularly stringent in observing social distancing measures because if they become ill they are more likely to need critical care including ventilation, and to die.1 Most data on covid-19 are from China, and although most confirmed cases have been classified as mild or moderate, 14% are severe and 5% critical.2 Case fatality rates are difficult to assess with certainty but could be as high as 1%,3 4 which is much greater than seasonal influenza at about 0.1%.

By |2021-01-03T21:52:59+00:00January 1st, 2020|Covid19|

COVID-19 and the liver: little cause for concern.

The largest study on COVID-19 to date1 showed that the prevalence of elevated aminotransferases and bilirubin in people faring worst was at least double that of others. Although clinically significant liver dysfunction was not quantified, this and other studies have led some to suggest that this finding might present clinical challenges. 2 Close inspection of the available data supports a higher prevalence of abnormal aminotransferase levels in severe COVID-19 disease, but these studies actually suggest that clinicallysignificant liver injury is uncommon, even when data for the most severelyill patients are selected (table).

By |2020-12-13T20:06:35+00:00January 1st, 2020|Covid19|

Precaution of 2019 novel coronavirus infection in department of oral and maxillofacial surgery

The epidemic of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection has presented as a critical period. Until February 23th 2020, more than 77 000 cases of 2019-nCoV infection have been confirmed in China, which has a great impact on economy and society. It has also interferred with ordinary medical practice of oral and maxillofacial surgery seriously. In order to protect oral and maxillofacial surgery medical staff from 2019-nCoV infection during the outbreak period, this paper suggests the necessary medical protective measures for oral and maxillofacial surgery outpatient and ward.

By |2021-02-01T22:22:40+00:00January 1st, 2020|Covid19|

Bone quality in fluoride-exposed populations: A novel application of the ultrasonic method.

Background: Various studies, mostly with animals, have provided evidence of adverse impacts of fluoride (F-) on bone density, collagen and microstructure, yet its effects on overall bone quality (strength) has not been clearly or extensively characterized in human populations.

Objective: In this observational study, we assessed variation in an integrated measures of bone quality in a population exposed to wide-ranging F- levels (0.3 to 15.5 mg/L) in drinking water, using a novel application of non-ionizing ultrasonic method.

Method: We collected 871 speed of sound (SOS) measurements from 341 subjects residing in 25 communities, aged 10-70 years (188 males and 153 females). All subjects received scans of the cortical radius and tibia, and adults over the age of 19 received an additional scan of the phalanx. Associations between F- in drinking water and 24-h urine samples, and SOS as a measure of bone quality, were evaluated in bivariate and multivariable regressions adjusting for age, sex, BMI, smoking, and toothpaste use.

Results: We found negative associations between F- exposure and bone quality at all three bones. Adult tibial SOS showed the strongest inverse association with F- exposure, which accounted for 20% of the variance in SOS measures (r = 0.45; n = 199; p < 0.0001). In adjusted analysis, a 1 mg/L increase in F- in drinking water was related to a reduction of 15.8 m/s (95% CI: -21.3 to -10.3), whereas a 1 mg/L increase in 24-h urinary F- (range: 0.04-39.5 mg/L) was linked to a reduction of 8.4 m/s (95% CI: -12.7, -4.12) of adult tibial SOS. Among adolescents, in contrast, weaker and non-significant inverse associations between F- exposure and SOS were found, while age, gender, and BMI were more significant predictors than in adults.

Conclusions: These results are indicative of a fluoride-induced deterioration of bone quality in humans, likely reflecting a combination of factors related to SOS: net bone loss, abnormal mineralization and collagen formation, or altered microarchitecture. The portable and low-cost ultrasound technique appears potentially useful for assessment of bone quality, and should be tested in other locations and for other bone-related disorders, to assess the feasibility of its more extensive diagnostic use in hard-to-reach rural regions.

Experience of diagnosing and managing patients in oral maxillofacial surgery during the prevention and control period of the new coronavirus pneumonia.

The newly emerged coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) which was first identified in China in December 2019. It is a highly contagious infection that can spread from person to person through close contact and respiratory droplets. The healthcare personnel of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery are especially vulnerable to the infection due to their extensive and close exposure to patients’ oral and nasal cavities and secretions. As one of the busiest specialised hospitals in the world, the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology summarised the experience with disease prevention and control and clinical recommendations on the examination, diagnosis and treatment processes, clinical management, healthcare personnel protection and disinfection amid the continued spread of the pandemic.

By |2021-02-01T19:23:23+00:00January 1st, 2020|Covid19|

A hypothesis and evidence that mercury may be an etiological factor in alzheimer’s disease.

Mercury is one of the most toxic elements and causes a multitude of health problems. It is ten times more toxic to neurons than lead. This study was created to determine if mercury could be causing Alzheimer’s disease (AD) by cross referencing the effects of mercury with 70 factors associated with AD. The results found that all these factors could be attributed to mercury. The hallmark changes in AD include plaques, beta amyloid protein, neurofibrillary tangles, phosphorylated tau protein, and memory loss-all changes that can be caused by mercury. Neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine, serotonin, dopamine, glutamate, and norepinephrine are inhibited in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, with the same inhibition occurring in mercury toxicity. Enzyme dysfunction in patients with Alzheimer’s disease include BACE 1, gamma secretase, cyclooxygenase-2, cytochrome-c-oxidase, protein kinases, monoamine oxidase, nitric oxide synthetase, acetyl choline transferase, and caspases, all which can be explained by mercury toxicity. Immune and inflammatory responses seen in patients with Alzheimer’s disease also occur when cells are exposed to mercury, including complement activation, cytokine expression, production of glial fibrillary acid protein antibodies and interleukin-1, transforming growth factor, beta 2 microglobulins, and phosphodiesterase 4 stimulation. Genetic factors in patients with Alzheimer’s disease are also associated with mercury. Apolipoprotein E 4 allele increases the toxicity of mercury. Mercury can inhibit DNA synthesis in the hippocampus, and has been associated with genetic mutations of presenilin 1 and 2, found in AD. The abnormalities of minerals and vitamins, specifically aluminum, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, selenium, zinc, and vitamins B1, B12, E, and C, that occur in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, also occur in mercury toxicity. Aluminum has been found to increase mercury’s toxicity. Likewise, similar biochemical factors in AD are affected by mercury, including changes in blood levels of homocysteine, arachidonic acid, DHEA sulfate, glutathione, hydrogen peroxide, glycosamine glycans, acetyl-L carnitine, melatonin, and HDL. Other factors seen in Alzheimer’s disease, such as increased platelet activation, poor odor identification, hypertension, depression, increased incidences of herpes virus and chlamydia infections, also occur in mercury exposure. In addition, patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease exhibit higher levels of brain mercury, blood mercury, and tissue mercury in some studies. The greatest exogenous sources of brain mercury come from dental amalgams. Conclusion: This review of the literature strongly suggests that mercury can be a cause of Alzheimer’s Disease.

By |2021-03-30T23:26:16+00:00January 1st, 2020|Other|

Periodontitis and inflammatory bowel disease: a meta-analysis

Background: Periodontitis was reported to be associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, the association between them has not been firmly established in the existing literature. Therefore, this meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the relationship between periodontitis and IBD.

Methods: Electronic databases were searched for publications up to August 1, 2019 to include all eligible studies. The pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were estimated to determine the association between periodontal disease and IBD using a random or fixed effects model according to heterogeneity.

Results: Six eligible studies involving 599 IBD patients and 448 controls were included. The pooled OR between periodontitis and IBD was 3.17 (95% CI: 2.09-4.8) with no heterogeneity observed (I2 = 0.00%). The pooled ORs were 3.64 (95% CI: 2.33-5.67) and 5.37 (95% CI: 3.30-8.74) for the associations between periodontitis and the two sub-categories of IBD, Crohn’ s disease and ulcerative colitis, respectively.

Conclusions: The results demonstrated that periodontitis was significantly associated with IBD. However, the mechanisms underlying periodontitis and IBD development are undetermined. Further studies are needed to elucidate this relationship.

COVID-19 transmission in dental practice: brief review of preventive measures in Italy.

The outbreak and diffusion of SARS-CoV-2, responsible for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), has caused an emergency in the health system worldwide. After a first development in Wuhan, China, the virus spread in other countries, with Italy registering the second highest number of cases in Europe on the 7th of April 2020 (135,586 in total). The World Health Organization declared the pandemic diffusion of COVID-19, and restrictive measures to limit contagion have been taken in several countries. The virus has a predominantly respiratory transmission through aerosol and droplets. The importance of infection control is therefore crucial in limiting the effects of virus diffusion. We aim to discuss the risks related to dental practice and current recommendations for dental practitioners. A literature search was performed to retrieve articles on the management of COVID-19 diffusion in dental practice. The documented clinical experience, the measures of professional prevention, and the actual Italian situation were reported and described. Four articles were retrieved from the literature search. Among the eligible articles, 3 reported measures to contrast COVID-19 diffusion. The infection management protocols suggested were reviewed. Finally, recommendations based on the Italian experience in terms of patient triage, patients’ entrance into the practice, dental treatment, and after-treatment management are reported and discussed. COVID-19 is a major emergency worldwide, which should not be underestimated. Due to the rapidly evolving situation, further assessment of the implications of COVID-19 outbreak in dental practice is needed.

By |2021-01-03T18:27:12+00:00January 1st, 2020|Covid19|

Possible aerosol transmission of COVID-19 and special precautions in dentistry.

Since its emergence in December 2019, corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has impacted several countries, affecting more than 90 thousand patients and making it a global public threat. The routes of transmission are direct contact, and droplet and possible aerosol transmissions. Due to the unique nature of dentistry, most dental procedures generate significant amounts of droplets and aerosols, posing potential risks of infection transmission. Understanding the significance of aerosol transmission and its implications in dentistry can facilitate the identification and correction of negligence in daily dental practice. In addition to the standard precautions, some special precautions that should be implemented during an outbreak have been raised in this review.

By |2020-12-23T19:12:50+00:00January 1st, 2020|Covid19|

The timeliness of ozone in the COVID era. European review for medical and pharmacological sciences.

we would like to raise awareness on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak that is spreading world-wide and represents an international sanitary emergency1. Our concern regards the feasibility of a safe return to dental offices without adopting appropriate measures in advance. In dental settings, the pathogens can be transmitted through inhalation of airborne microorganisms that can remain suspended in the air for long periods or through direct contact with fluids or other patient materials, contact of mucosae with infected aerosol propelled at short distance by coughing and talking without a mask, and indirect contact with contaminated instruments and/or environmental surfaces2,3.

By |2021-01-09T02:35:27+00:00January 1st, 2020|Covid19|
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